


Cassandra Speaks, Do You Listen?

by demonicbutterflies



Category: The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton
Genre: F/M, Missing Scene, also i am gay and in love with winona ryder so jot that down, giving janey archer Character Depth, quite possibly i am the only person who cares about janey archer, this was an english assignment lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-15 23:33:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18083099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonicbutterflies/pseuds/demonicbutterflies
Summary: The Age of Innocence Page 95 ContinuedSummary of Chapter:  Janey tells Newland that Ellen had called on their mother while he was away while they are dining. Mrs. Archer does not have a high opinion of Ellen, and thinks May is the ideal.





	Cassandra Speaks, Do You Listen?

“Ah,” said her son, “they’re not alike.” Presently Newland stood up and excused himself from the table. He was making his way to the balcony for a cigar when Janey appeared; apparently still pondering the wonders of Madame Olenska’s black polonaise. Miss Archer’s brown and purple poplin dress seemed to droop farther in comparison. Despite living with his sister for his whole life, it was rare to find himself alone with her, without the ever-present shadow of his mother; he was faintly surprised when she spoke, screwing her eyes fixedly upon him.

“Mother finds the Countess to be scandalous.” Newland found this point to be quite obvious; but he stayed ostensibly silent, the only inclination that he was listening the slight tilt of his head, still smoking his cigar.

“Mother thinks-”

“Mother says! Mother thinks! How about you profess one of your own thoughts for once, girl!” barked Newland, surprising himself with his own declaration. The young man continued to suck on his cigar, almost as if it would grant him the absolution he desired.

Janey’s eyes projected further, shining with a determination uncharacteristic of her. Newland fancied they would pop right out of her skull. Miss Archer seemed to start to speak then stop, gathering herself up before him before pointing her chin up determinedly. “You wish to know what I think? Newland, you act very differently. I’ve never seen you like this before except for- except for when- You remind me faintly of how you were a few months ago- When you began courting May. But different, markedly so.”

The effrontery in which she spoke took Newland aback. He raised an eyebrow but gave no other indication of being affected despite the tempest that had already started raging inside. Janey- Janey of all people had noticed? In lieu of an answer he smoked his cigar rather violently as if to convince a captive audience it was all he was focusing on.

She gave a small laugh, then her voice softened, dropping into a lower register. Cassandra-like, she continued, voice dripping with a sympathy that made Newland’s skin crawl: “I hope you know what you are doing, Newland, since you are the one with the chance. After all, I simply want you to be happy. And if you must make the difficult choice for that, then you must do it and not shy away from it.” And with this final declaration, her eyes seemed to dull over once more, taking on the virgin countenance she usually had and turned back into the house.

An incongruous feeling came over Newland, suddenly, that Janey would forever remain inside this two-story house; sharing space with her own mother as though they were sisters, never to venture out and instead collecting dust, only hearing of the outside world rather than living it. He envisioned a lifetime of taking in the scenery but never interacting; a life spent behind glass, never to be touched or affected in any meaningful way. Too old to be married and too young to be respected, her existence was inexorably a weary one. The young man had never considered his sister’s fate before, and he was at once overwhelmed by it. He put out his cigar on the balcony’s railing and turned back inside, resolved to not think of the issue further.

**Author's Note:**

> My scene is set shortly after a scene with Janey because she is not in the novel as a major character and I wanted to expand upon her. She is one of the most tragic characters in the novel in my opinion, as she too is caught within Society’s machine, doomed to be an eternal virgin girl. She is characterized as “subject to starts and aberrations of fancy welling up from springs of suppressed romance” (Wharton 23). To me, that means Janey’s love for her brother and romantic side would guide him towards the choice that would end in Newland’s happiness, whatever the consequences. While in her attempt to reach out to him, she never directly says she knows he is in love with Ellen, but she obliquely says “I hope you know what you are doing, Newland.” While writing this scene, I mostly wanted to force Newland to think about his sister’s fate without it impacting the story in any way.   
> I used similar word choice within my work, as well as syntax. Wharton tends to use semicolons instead of commas, so I reflected that within my work. I reference the style of dress common in the time period in the lines, “He was making his way to the balcony for a cigar when Janey appeared; apparently still pondering the wonders of Madame Olenska’s black polonaise. Miss Archer’s brown and purple poplin dress seemed to droop farther in comparison." A polonaise is a woman's dress with a tight bodice and a skirt open from the waist downward, looped up to show a decorative underskirt while poplins are a plain fabric.   
> A line I am particularly proud of is “In lieu of an answer he smoked his cigar rather violently as if to convince a captive audience it was all he was focusing on." Wharton uses her figurative language sparingly, but she does use them effectively: “She carried her head high, like a pretty woman challenging a roomful of rivals” (Wharton 101). I never outright state what the characters are feeling, but they show it from their actions, or rather their non-actions.


End file.
